A few weeks ago, today?s game between the North Texas and the Louisiana-Monroe men appeared as if it might be an early-season showdown for first place in the Sun Belt Conference West Division standings.
Now it?s a battle between teams just looking to get back into the race.
Both UNT and ULM have lost their first two conference games heading into a doubleheader that will begin with the women?s game at 5 p.m.
?With 18 games in conference play, being 0-2 doesn?t change anything,? UNT head coach Johnny Jones said. ?We have 16 games left. We beat Western Kentucky early last year and they came back to finish second in their division. We lost to New Orleans in our first conference game last year.?
UNT bounced back from that loss to win the Sun Belt tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988. That performance built expectations for today?s UNT-ULM game.
The Warhawks (6-8) were picked to win the Sun Belt?s West Division this season after returning all five of its starters from a team that tied for the title last year. UNT (9-4) was picked to finish second.
Both are looking up in the league standings at Louisiana-Lafayette, which has raced out to a 4-0 start.
?It?s a very important game,? UNT guard Ben Bell said. ?We don?t have a win yet and neither do they. It should be a good game.?
UNT had a chance to break through for its first conference win against Troy last week, but blew a seven-point lead in overtime. The Mean Green also lost its Sun Belt opener at Denver.
?You have to be really good to win on the road and can?t make mistakes,? Jones said. ?At Troy we didn?t keep them off the glass and turned the ball over. If we take care of the basketball, we win that game.?
One factor that could help UNT is that it will have a chance to face ULM on its home court. The Mean Green is 7-0 at the Super Pit this year, including an impressive win over Oklahoma State.
?It will be good for us to be back at home where we are comfortable,? UNT forward Quincy Williams said. ?But we know this is going to be a dogfight.?
UNT could be a little shorthanded against the Warhawks. Senior center Keith Wooden sprained his ankle during practice on Saturday and did not return. He is expected to be available today, but might not be at 100 percent.
Guards Tony Hooper and Jordan Payne, who are averaging 15.2 and 15.0 points a game, respectively, lead ULM.
Hooper will have plenty of motivation in ULM?s first game against UNT since the quarterfinals of last season?s Sun Belt Conference tournament. The Warhawks had the ball in the final seconds of regulation with the score tied when Hooper slipped near midcourt. Bell stole the ball and the game went to overtime, when the Mean Green pulled away for a 77-71 win.
While the UNT men will be looking to get back into the conference race, the Mean Green women will be aiming to move toward the top of the league standings. UNT (6-8, 1-1) won its conference opener at Denver before falling at Troy.
ULM (9-4, 2-0) is the only team left in the Sun Belt?s West Division that has yet to drop a league game.
Sophomore guard Jesse Carrier leads ULM with an average of 10.5 points a game, while senior center Shannon Lloyd is posting 10.4 points a game.
Now it?s a battle between teams just looking to get back into the race.
Both UNT and ULM have lost their first two conference games heading into a doubleheader that will begin with the women?s game at 5 p.m.
?With 18 games in conference play, being 0-2 doesn?t change anything,? UNT head coach Johnny Jones said. ?We have 16 games left. We beat Western Kentucky early last year and they came back to finish second in their division. We lost to New Orleans in our first conference game last year.?
UNT bounced back from that loss to win the Sun Belt tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988. That performance built expectations for today?s UNT-ULM game.
The Warhawks (6-8) were picked to win the Sun Belt?s West Division this season after returning all five of its starters from a team that tied for the title last year. UNT (9-4) was picked to finish second.
Both are looking up in the league standings at Louisiana-Lafayette, which has raced out to a 4-0 start.
?It?s a very important game,? UNT guard Ben Bell said. ?We don?t have a win yet and neither do they. It should be a good game.?
UNT had a chance to break through for its first conference win against Troy last week, but blew a seven-point lead in overtime. The Mean Green also lost its Sun Belt opener at Denver.
?You have to be really good to win on the road and can?t make mistakes,? Jones said. ?At Troy we didn?t keep them off the glass and turned the ball over. If we take care of the basketball, we win that game.?
One factor that could help UNT is that it will have a chance to face ULM on its home court. The Mean Green is 7-0 at the Super Pit this year, including an impressive win over Oklahoma State.
?It will be good for us to be back at home where we are comfortable,? UNT forward Quincy Williams said. ?But we know this is going to be a dogfight.?
UNT could be a little shorthanded against the Warhawks. Senior center Keith Wooden sprained his ankle during practice on Saturday and did not return. He is expected to be available today, but might not be at 100 percent.
Guards Tony Hooper and Jordan Payne, who are averaging 15.2 and 15.0 points a game, respectively, lead ULM.
Hooper will have plenty of motivation in ULM?s first game against UNT since the quarterfinals of last season?s Sun Belt Conference tournament. The Warhawks had the ball in the final seconds of regulation with the score tied when Hooper slipped near midcourt. Bell stole the ball and the game went to overtime, when the Mean Green pulled away for a 77-71 win.
While the UNT men will be looking to get back into the conference race, the Mean Green women will be aiming to move toward the top of the league standings. UNT (6-8, 1-1) won its conference opener at Denver before falling at Troy.
ULM (9-4, 2-0) is the only team left in the Sun Belt?s West Division that has yet to drop a league game.
Sophomore guard Jesse Carrier leads ULM with an average of 10.5 points a game, while senior center Shannon Lloyd is posting 10.4 points a game.
